1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suction-cleansing device that carries out cleansing and/or washing by jetting water streams onto a human body or pet animal, and in particular the invention relates to a suction-cleansing device and cleansing apparatus having the same, which are able to massage face skin or other body skin by locally absorbing or rubbing the face skin or other body skin with streams of water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, a suction-cleansing device has been studied and developed, by which a stream of water discharged from a nozzle port, etc., is jetted onto a human body or pet animal, and cleansing and massaging thereof are carried out.
For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei-8-196596 (hereinafter called Publication “a”), a massage and suction-cleansing device is disclosed, in which a water stream swirling chamber including a pressurized fluid introducing port, disposed at the closed side at one end in the tangential direction of the inner circumference, into which a pressurized fluid is supplied via a water feeding port; an air inlet port disposed at the rear end of the center position; and a water stream discharge port secured at the open side at the other end, is installed inside an outer tube having the water feeding port provided, a central boss which is made open and is faced to the above-described water stream discharge port is provided, a suction port which is made open outwardly is installed at the other end side of the central boss, an air/liquid separation plate is provided at an opening of the central boss faced to the above-described water stream discharge port, and a front swirling chamber is formed between the outer tube and the central boss.
Also, in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Sho-63-74123 (hereinafter called Publication “b”), a suction and massage bubble jet-streaming device is disclosed, in which a liquid feeding port is provided in the tangential direction along the circumferential wall of a mixing chamber, and a discharge port of an air pipe disposed to protrude from the rear part of the mixing chamber toward the front part thereof is positioned at the jetting port of the mixing chamber, a plurality of projections are provided around the jetting port.
However, the above-described prior arts have the following problems and shortcomings.
(1) Since, in the art described in Publication “a,” the central boss having an air/liquid separation plate provided is disposed to face the water stream discharge port of the swirling chamber and a percolation plate is provided in the front swirling chamber formed between the central boss and the outer tube, it is not possible to cause the suction force resulting from the swirling stream to effectively maximize performance due to the air/liquid separation plate and percolation plate becoming obstacles. Therefore, since the suction force of the swirling chamber becomes insufficient, the massage effect is made lower in the vicinity of the suction port close to the skin, wherein there arises a problem in that it is difficult to absorb and remove dirt and stains such as oily substances accumulated in skin pores, etc.
(2) Since air suctioned through the air inlet port is disturbed as a result of colliding with the air/liquid separation plate and percolation plate, it is difficult to generate minute and uniform air bubbles in streams of water, wherein there arises another problem in that a cleansing effect of removing dirt and stains by operating minute air bubbles in the streams of water onto stained portions and a massage effect brought about by stimulating the skin with minute air bubbles being as a result of colliding therewith are not made sufficient.
(3) Since the above-described art is not provided with a mechanism for regulating and controlling the amount, size and form, etc., of air bubbles in discharging streams of water, there arises still another problem in that streams of water including minute air bubbles which are excellent in the cleansing effect and massaging effect in response to a use condition cannot be obtained.
(4) Since the air/liquid separation plate, percolation plate, and central boss, etc., are internally incorporated, the structure becomes complicated, wherein the massage and suction-cleansing device of the above-described art is inferior in maintenance and productivity thereof.
(5) Since, in the art described in Publication “b,” the air discharge port of the air pipe is disposed very close to the jetting port of the mixing chamber, streams of water inside the mixing chamber in a swirling state are not directly made to contact with air, wherein, since it is impossible to generate minute air bubbles of a prescribed size and form by effectively bringing the swirling streams of water into contact with air while maintaining a prescribed contact area therebetween, a problem arises in that the massaging effect and cleansing effect are not sufficient.
(6) Since a space is formed between the jetting port and skin by projections secured at the circumference of the jetting port although the pressure of the central portion of the mixing chamber is made lower due to the swirling liquid, the swirling streams are disturbed in the vicinity of the skin, and the pressure-reduced portion proves extremely difficult to form. Another problem occurs in that, in the vicinity of the jetting port close to the skin, the suction force is weak, and it is difficult to absorb and remove stains such as oily substances accumulated in skin pores.
(7) Since there is no means for controlling the size and amount of minute air bubbles formed in the streams of water, air which is more than the necessary amount is suctioped through the air pipe, and large air bubbles are formed. Therefore, still another problem arises in that an insufficient massaging effect and cleansing effect can be brought about.
(8) Since a space is formed between a human body and the jetting port due to projections secured at the circumference of the jetting port, there arises a problem in that since the suction force is made insufficient, a sufficient massaging effect cannot be provided since the skin of a human body is not sufficiently absorbed.
(9) Since no guiding portion for adequately regulating the discharging state of jetting water streams is provided, there is a shortcoming in that it is difficult to effectively cause streams of water including minute air bubbles to act on the skin.
The present invention can solve the above-described problems and shortcomings of the above-described prior arts. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a suction-cleansing device that is capable of forming a swirling stream near skin and applying an intensive suction force thereto and can bring about an excellent cleansing effect and massaging effect by adequately maintaining a state of streams of water including minute air bubbles in the streams of water, and simultaneously to provide a cleansing apparatus of simple construction, which is excellent in productivity and maintenance efficiency.